ܞ

 1 Glorying must be, but it is not profitable: so I proceed to visions and revelations of our Lord.
 2 I knew a man in the Messiah fourteen years ago, (but whether in a body, or whether out of a body, I know not; God knoweth :) who was caught up to the third [region] of heaven.
 3 And I knew this same man; (but whether in a body, or out of a body, I know not; God knoweth ;)
 4 and he was caught up to Paradise, and heard ineffable words, which it is not permitted a man to utter.
 5 Of him I will glory: but of myself I will not glory, except in my infirmities.
 6 Yet if I were disposed to glory, I should not be without reason; for I declare the truth. But I refrain, lest any one should think of me, beyond what he seeth in me and heareth from me.
 7 And, that I might not be uplifted by the excellency of the revelations, there was imparted to me a thorn in my flesh, the angel of Satan, to buffet me, that I might not be uplifted.
 8 Respecting this, I thrice besought my Lord, that it might depart from me.
 9 And he said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my power is perfected in weakness. Gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I have pleasure in infirmities, in reproach, in afflictions, in persecutions, in distresses, which are for the Messiah's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 Behold, I have become foolish in my glorying, for ye compelled me. For ye ought to bear witness for me; because I was inferior in nothing to those legates who most excel, although I was nothing.
12 I wrought among you the signs of the legates, with all patience; and in prodigies, and in wonders, and in mighty deeds.
13 For in what fell ye short of the other churches; except in this, that I was not burdensome to you ? Forgive me this fault.
14 Behold, this third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not burden you; for I seek not yours, but you: for children ought not to lay up treasures for the parents, but the parents for their children.
15 And cheerfully will I both pay [my] expenses, and also give myself for your souls; although the more I love you, the less ye love me.
16 But perhaps, though I was not burdensome to you, yet, like a cunning man, I filched from you by craftiness !
17 Was it by the hand of some other person whom I sent to you, that I pilfered from you?
18 I requested Titus, and with him I sent the brethren: did Titus pilfer any thing from you? Did we not walk in one spirit, and in the same steps ?
19 Do ye again suppose, that we would apologize to you? Before God, in the Messiah we speak: and all these things, my beloved, [are] for the sake of your edification.
20 For I fear, lest I should come to you and not find you such as I would wish; and lest I also should be found by you, such as ye would not wish; lest [there should be] contention, and envying, and anger, and obstinacy, and slandering, and murmuring, and insolence, and commotion;
21 lest, when I come to you, my God should humble me; and I should mourn over many, who have sinned, and have not repented of the impurity, the whoredom, and the lasciviousness, which they have committed.